NYLCV Raises On BP Spill

The New York League of Conservation Voters is kicking off the election season with a new ad campaign that seeks to harness the anger generated by the BP oil spill to raise money that will supporting “green” candidates here in the Empire State.

The money generated through this campaign will fund the NYLCV’s Climate Action PAC, which is the only political action committee dedicated solely to electing environmental leaders at the state level.

The organization says it hopes to rebuild the environmental leadership in Albany in the wake of a massive cut (also known as a sweep) by the Legislature to the Environmental Protection Fund in May.

“The disastrous oil spill in the Gulf of Mississippi has angered people around the world. But can New Yorkers do about it? Elect state leaders who will finally make a serious commitment to clean energy and protecting the environment,” the NYLCV states in a press release announcing its Capitol Campaign.

“(A)lthough the Legislature made progress on some sustainability efforts during the 2010 session, there is no political will to address the major challenges that have been facing New York for many years. Thus, the need to elect true environmental leaders could not be greater.”

The NYLCV is currently interviewing candidates for endorsements and will announce its decisions late next month. It plans to focus in particular on the closely-divided state Senate, where it spent $175,000 in 2008 to help the Democrats win control of the majority.

UPDATE: NYLCV spokesman Dan Hendrick says: “Our goal was to defeat anti-environment (former GOP) Sen. Caesar Trunzo and elect (Democrat) Brian Foley – not flip the Senate. We took great pains to make sure that race was based on environmental outcomes, not party labels.”